Summerbell in front

Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

Jamaica's David Summerbell has assumed the lead in the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship, following the conclusion of the first leg at the Dover Raceway on Sunday.According to the provisional results Guyana's Andrew King who finished with a second and two third places, is the current runner-up with the defending champion Doug Gore in third.

"It's a pleasure driving this car and there is so much more we can get out of it," Summerbell told The Gleaner, shortly after registering his second win of the afternoon.Driving his newly acquired gray Evolution Vlll, Summerbell was in a no-nonsense mood. As the pace car left the track and starter waved the green flag, Summerbell took the lead, with Gore in hot pursuit.

Chequered flag

He led from start to finish to take the chequered flag in the first event. But in the second of the three championship events, Summerbell had to produce a late burst to overtake Gore on the penultimate lap of the race.

While Summerbell was busy on the track trying to earn enough points to snatch the title, the attention switched at times to his daughter Samantha in the VIP towers as she kept screaming 'go daddy', 'go daddy'.

The third championship event was won by Mark Maloney of Barbados. He was given an easy passage as both Summerbell and Gore developed mechanical problems."The link for my gear stick jumped off," said Summerbell. He is hoping to win back the title he held several years ago.

Jamaicans happy

"He did a good job and made the Jamaicans happy," commented Guyana's Mark Viera, whose car rolled and got damaged.

The big disappointments were the absence of Peter 'Bull' Thompson due to mechanical problems and the dull performance of Peter Rae, who also experienced mechanical problems.